Stephen Harper continues push for free trade, while Syria moves to top of agenda ahead of G8 summit

Stephen Harper continues push for free trade, while Syria moves to top of agenda ahead of G8 summit

DUBLIN, IRELAND — Prime Minister Stephen Harper heads into the back half of his European trip facing some major policy decisions — but also differences with other Group of Eight partners — on complex issues to be discussed at the G8 summit, including Syria, EU free-trade talks, and how best to combat tax evasion.

Harper arrived in Dublin on Saturday for a two-day stop in Ireland, where he will meet with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny to discuss the Canada-European Union free-trade negotiations — which seemingly remain deadlocked over a handful of issues — before heading to Northern Ireland for the Lough Erne G8 summit on Monday and Tuesday.

International security — especially the deteriorating situation in civil war-torn Syria — will be likely the most pressing issue discussed by G8 leaders.

Harper said Friday he’s convinced chemical weapons have been used by the Assad regime in Syria. However, Canada opposes calls from some of its major international allies to arm the Syrian rebels, worried the weapons could end up in the hands of Islamist extremists fighting inside the country.

The United States, France and Britain are all moving towards arming the Syrian opposition, under the right conditions, in an effort to turn the tide against government forces.

A story Saturday in British newspaper The Independent said that Canada and Italy may endorse moves to support moderate rebels, although the Prime Minister’s Office said that is incorrect.

Harper, who did not take questions from reporters on Saturday, stressed on Friday that Canada “rarely operates alone” on military and security matters, and continues to work closely with its allies.

U.S. President Barack Obama held an hour-long video conference call Friday with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy ahead of the G8 summit, with the situation in Syria at the top of the agenda.

John Kirton, director of the G8 Research Group at the University of Toronto, said he could see Harper soften his position on Syria and agree to provide air support for humanitarian aid or some other form of equipment.

Israel’s concerns about the Assad regime (backed by Hezbollah fighters) using chemical weapons could also have Harper rethink his position, he said. Harper will ensure he is not left “standing in the middle” at the summit when it comes to Syria, he added.

“We have a part to play,” Kirton said. “I see him slowly moving his position considering the facts on the ground have changed.”

French President Francois Hollande says it’s time to “exert some military pressure” on the Assad regime, and remind Syrian ally (and G8 member) Russia about continued “massacres” in the country.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, however, is calling for urgent talks at the United Nations Security Council to reach a shared position on Syria and determine how to engage all sides on the peace process.

Obama has authorized shipping small arms to Syrian rebels, after American officials said they have conclusive evidence Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime used chemical weapons against opposition forces.

“We are obviously working very closely with our allies. We share, broadly speaking, an analysis of objectives,” Harper said Friday in Paris, when asked about the Syrian situation.

“I think our concerns about the risks on both sides are shared also by our allies and we will work very closely with them going forward.”

The U.S. president has said the use of chemical weapons in Syria would cross a “red line” that would trigger greater American involvement in the crisis. The U.S. says any military aid delivered to Syrian opposition forces will be coordinated by the Central Intelligence Agency.

While in Dublin, trade will be high on the agenda for Harper during his bilateral meeting. Canada and the European Union continue to dig in their heels on negotiations for a free-trade agreement, with market access for beef one of the final issues that needs to be resolved.

Ireland and France — two of the EU’s largest beef producers — are resisting Canada’s demands for more duty free access into Europe for Canadian beef producers. They’re worried too much foreign beef in Europe could hurt their own producers even before the EU officially launches into free-trade talks with the United States.

Harper will be at the G8 table with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and can discuss the trade negotiations on the sidelines, fresh off of meeting with the leaders of France and Ireland.

“We will keep negotiating until we get an (agreement) that we believe is in the best interests of all Canadians, and we’re not there yet and that’s why we continue to talk,” Harper said Friday.

The prime minister held photo ops Saturday atop the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and then at the Guinness Brewhouse in Dublin, but did not take questions from reporters with him on the trip.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is hosting the meeting of leaders from the Group of Eight industrialized nations — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United States and United Kingdom.

The G8 leaders will also discuss measures to fight the multitrillion-dollar problem of offshore tax evasion.

Tax watchdog groups in Canada and Europe say the Harper government is resisting specific measures proposed by Cameron and other G8 countries that would further combat tax evasion.

The federal government insists it backs Cameron’s efforts on fighting tax evasion.

“We’re supportive of the U.K. agenda,” said Peter Boehm, Harper’s G8 representative. “Every country has their own approaches.”

But several international organizations say all indications are Canada has balked at a measure that would identify the true owners of offshore accounts and shell companies by disclosing what’s called beneficial ownership information.

Canada, say the various groups, appears to have also been fighting measures that would call for automatic tax information exchange agreements between countries that would help governments better track tax cheats.